Spain to repatriate priest with Ebola virus

Aug. 1, 2014: Liberian soldiers in a medical truck drive past as they patrol streets to prevent panic, as fears of the deadly Ebola virus spread in the city of Monrovia, Liberia,. (AP)

MADRID – Spain's Defense Ministry says a medically equipped Airbus 310 is ready to fly to Liberia to repatriate a Spanish missionary priest who has tested positive for the Ebola virus.

The ministry said Wednesday preparations for the flight are being finalized but it is not yet known at what time the plane would take off.

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The priest, Miguel Pajares, is one of three missionaries being kept in isolation at the San Jose de Monrovia Hospital in Liberia who has tested positive for the virus, Spain's San Juan de Dios hospital order, a Catholic humanitarian group that runs hospitals around the world, said Tuesday.

The other two infected aid workers were identified as Chantal Pascaline Mutwamene of Congo and Paciencia Melgar from Equatorial Guinea.